3 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

	Waterloo Architecture (Co-op Only) OUAC WR Remove	Waterloo Planning (Co-op Only) OUAC WP Remove	OCAD Environmental Design OUAC HED Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	83–87%“Mid-80s”	80–83%“Low 80s”	Not published“N/A”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U SPH4U	ENG4U	ENG4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	one of MCV4U, MHF4U	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	English (ENG4U – min. 78%) Advanced Functions (min. 70%) or Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%) Physics (min. 70%)	Any Grade 12 U English (min. 75%)	OSSD with an overall academic average of at least 70% in six 4U/M courses, including English 4U with a minimum final grade of 70%
More than marks?supplementary application	Yes Qualified applicants will be invited to submit a portfolio. Usually closes before January 15	Marks only	Yes Admission is based primarily on your portfolio assessment. All offers of admission are conditional on meeting the minimum academic requirements. Alternative Offers There are no alternative offers. Usually closes before January 15
Co-op	Available	Available	No
Degree	—	—	—
First-year intakewhere published	75	200	—
What you study	ArchitectureBuildingDesign	Environmental StudiesPlanning	Architecture DesignFacilities ManagementLandscape & Garden Design
What it is	You study how to design and plan buildings and structures, learning both the creative design side and the technical skills needed to make buildings work safely and function well. This program requires you to do paid work terms at architecture firms throughout your degree, alternating with school semesters, so you graduate with real professional experience. It suits people who want hands-on learning alongside theory and are ready to balance intensive coursework with workplace responsibility.	This program teaches you how to design and manage the built and natural environments — from city neighborhoods and transportation systems to parks and land use. The co-op requirement means you'll alternate between classroom semesters and paid work terms at planning firms, municipalities, or environmental organizations, giving you real experience while you study. It suits people who want hands-on learning, enjoy solving problems about how communities develop, and are willing to commit to the co-op schedule.	Environmental Design at OCAD combines architecture, landscape design, and urban planning to teach you how to shape buildings and outdoor spaces that work well for people and the environment. Unlike a traditional architecture program, it emphasizes the relationship between design and sustainability across multiple scales, from gardens to whole neighbourhoods. It suits students who want to design physical spaces but prefer a broader, more environmentally conscious approach than architecture alone.
The door tomajors you reach through it	architecture	Applied to directly	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	None published by average
Source	University of Waterloo on OUInfo	University of Waterloo on OUInfo	OCAD University on OUInfo

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Same subject area and a similar published range, at a campus you have not got in the table yet.

Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.